CHAPTER VIII 

 THE GREYHOUND 



OF dogs hunting by keenness of sight and fleetness of foot, the Grey- 

 hound possesses an inherent right to occupy the highest place in the 

 group. The modern Greyhound, the most elegant of the canine race, 

 the highest achievement of man's skill in manipulating the plastic 

 nature of the dog and forming it to his special requirements, as he is 

 stripped, in all his beauty of outline and wonderful development, 

 not only of muscle, but of that hidden fire which gives dash, energy, 

 and daring, stands revealed a manufactured article, the acme of 

 perfection in beauty of outline and fitness of purpose. Whether we 

 see him trying conclusions on the meadows of Lurgan, the rough 

 hillsides of Crawford John, or for the blue ribbon of the leash on 

 the classic flats of Altcar, he is still the same the dog in whom the 

 genius of man has so mingled the blood of all the best varieties of 

 the Celtic Canes celeres, that no one can lay special claim to him. 

 He is a combination of art and Nature that challenges the world, 

 unequalled in speed, spirit, and perseverance, and in elegance and 

 beauty of form as far removed from many of his clumsy ancestors 

 as an English thoroughbred is from a coarse dray-horse. 



It is not intended here to attempt to trace the history of the 

 Greyhound, or to follow his development from the comparatively 

 coarse but more powerful dog from which he was evolved. It is 

 clear, however, to those who study the history of the ancients, that 

 more than four thousand years ago the Egyptians had developed his 

 form, swiftness, and wind, so as to enable him to hunt with the kings 

 of those very remote times. Of this records are actually existent ; 

 but the probability is that such a dog lived more than 30,000 years 

 ago. This is deduced from the fact that in the very earliest times of 

 which we have records a very high type of Greyhound is met with. 



The Greyhound, having been always kept for the chase, would 

 naturally undergo modifications with the changes in the manner of 

 hunting, the nature of the wild animals he was trained to hunt, and 

 the characteristics of the country in which he was used ; and having 

 always, until very recent times, been restricted to the possession of 



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